First and Tech – Out of Bounds Magazinehttp://outofboundsmag.com
Covering the political, social and economic intersections of sportThu, 14 Sep 2017 02:12:33 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.2https://i1.wp.com/outofboundsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/cropped-Logo-Blk.png?fit=32%2C32First and Tech – Out of Bounds Magazinehttp://outofboundsmag.com
3232116167284ESPN Fantasy app shuts down on biggest football day of the yearhttp://outofboundsmag.com/espn-fantasy-app-shuts-down-on-biggest-football-day-of-the-year/
Mon, 12 Sep 2016 15:07:13 +0000http://outofboundsmag.com/?p=1018By Jefferi Lee

On one of the biggest sports days of the year, the self-appointed “worldwide leader in sports” fell noticeably behind. The ESPN fantasy football website and corresponding app experienced technical difficulties on Opening Sunday, preventing users from accessing their team’s stats for a few hours.

Around kickoff of the 1 pm E.T. games, users first started reporting issues, prompting ESPN to send out the following tweet:

We are aware of the current technical difficulties. We apologize for the inconvenience & are working to resolve the issue ASAP.

The outage lasted for some into the 4 p.m. slate of games, a serious issue if you are one of those last minute lineup adjusters. For others, the outage may have proved to be a blessing in disguise if their opponent forgot to start Dan Bailey. The issue was cleared up the 6 pm hour with the cause of the outage being blamed on database error.

Lots of people currently enjoy Twitter during major sporting events. The popular social media platform provides an online gathering place for people of like mind (or of differing minds) to convene to discuss, trash talk and generally enjoy the camaraderie around being in a virtual social space.

Thanks to a new two-year deal between the NFL and Twitter, the game day experience just got even better. The league has entered into an exclusive partnership with the media platform to push its on-field content and in-game highlights directly to a new tool called Twitter Moments, making it one of the best peripheral tools for following the gridiron action on any given Sunday.

Every two days there are 1 billion new tweets. Twitter has always generated some of the best content on the World Wide Web, which provides users with fodder to get through their busy work schedules. Power users on the platform have put in the requisite time in to grow their follower base, which helps them discover the best content quite easily. Twitter’s challenge however, is assisting new users in their discovery of all the wittiest memes and gifs across its ecosystem. With 500 million tweets a day it’s an arduous task to sift through all of that content until you get a chuckle from a funny Vine or video, enter Twitter Moments.

But thanks to the innovation of Twitter Moments, gone are the days when users waited for a game break to find out what’s happening across the league.

It’s no secret that Twitter is the best place to follow live events. The NFL believes that their content belongs on a platform where people can debate and weigh in on the games in real time. Instead of posting the content out for free on @NFL handle, the league gets a cut of the advertising dollars that Twitter makes on the content. Aside from game highlights, users get injury reports and tweet commentary from sports analysts and fans.

It’s a win/win for both entities; Twitter gets to net a deal with one of the biggest content providers in the world and the NFL gets to create another revenue stream by monetizing their content via Twitter.

Twitter Moments is designed to read like an old school newspaper, except it’s updated throughout the day. There are sections to help navigate users to the news topics that are trending as well as relevant subject matter like entertainment, fun, etc. Mashable has a moment that focuses #DrakeAlwaysOnBeat and BuzzFeed has a moment to show you all the lists they have that indicate just how old you are.

As an NFL fan, this is everything I’ve ever really wanted. I can follow my Giants and still get updates on every highlight, from every game in every market, every Sunday. Users can also opt-in to follow the NFL moment on Twitter and have the highlights automatically appear in their timeline.

But don’t take my word for it — mess around with Moments on a Sunday around 5p.m., right in between the early and late games, and see for yourself!

]]>441Sports Tech Round Uphttp://outofboundsmag.com/sports-tech-round-up/
Tue, 13 Oct 2015 03:50:22 +0000http://outofboundsmag.com/?p=412Sports are all about precision. Performance. Intensity. There are tangible measurables that help gauge everything from optimal performance levels to off-kilter health indicators. As the world of sports becomes more high-stakes, it also becomes more high-tech.

This month, the Out of Bounds staff is presenting a round-up of the top trends and new offerings in wearable technology, technology that enhances fan experience and fitness gadgets.

Wearable Tech

Zebra MotionWorks™ player tracking system

As the “Official On-Field Player Tracking Provider” of the NFL, sensors in the Zebra MotionWorks™ player tracking system identify the location, motion and direction of every player on the field and provide real-time data for all players, game officials and significant game entities, like flags and chains. It provides performance data in real-time within inches throughout a game, highlighting speed profiles, accumulated distances, fitness graphs and coverage heat maps. It won Best Sports Technology at this year’s Sports Business Journal’s Sports Business Awards.

FITguard Mouthguard

Based on the idea that mouthguard sensors, instead of helmet or chinstrap sensors, can better detect head trauma (because they are placed in contact with a player’s rear molars, which touch the skull), Force Impact Technologies has created the FITguard mouthguard. A built-in accelerometer and gyroscope measures linear and angular acceleration to predict concussions and brain injuries by measuring impact. LED lights on the guard indicate whether medical attention is needed.

Jins Meme

With Google Glass’ production stalled, the smartglasses market is wide open — and Japanese company Jins is taking a stab at entry. Sensors and technology hidden in the ear and nose pieces track movements and posture and balance. They help count the calories one burns in addition to tracking eye movement to provide feedback on responsiveness. Company representatives say the glasses have all the same capabilities as the popular FitBit bands, but with greater accuracy, thanks to the stable position on the wearer’s face.

FanZone

Samsung’s Sports Live App

Part of the company’s smart television line, the Sports Live App provides on-screen information about the game in progress. The feature takes information from the broadcasting networks — such as results, statistics and other relevant figures — and presents them in a screen overlay presented as a dual-screen layout to keep viewers from having to search for supplemental game information online.

FreeD Video Technology

Offering 360-degree video coverage of key plays from all live game action within the arena, the technology hopes to fully immerse viewers in the game by providing a “true three-dimensional scene, comprised of three-dimensional ‘pixels’ that faithfully represent reality.” Currently in use by some NFL, MLB and NBA teams, the company hopes to be able to eventually deliver the technology right to the consumer at home, who will be able to call up a replay of any play right from his or her own TV.

Sporting Innovation’s Fan360 Uphoria

A mobile app that seeks to improve fans’ in-game experience, Sporting Innovation’s Fan360 Uphoria offers in-game replays, gaming and rewards features that increase fans’ knowledge and enjoyment of the game experience, mobile ticketing, social interaction and commerce to provide an all-in-one solution to stadium perks. By identifying each fan uniquely and building a comprehensive user profile, the company hopes to increase interaction between fans and promote an all-around better fan experience, while providing valuable feedback to team management about fan preferences and behaviors.

Fitness Gadgets

Garmin Vivoactive

The fitness-specific, cost-effective alternative to fitness tracking via an Apple Watch, the Vivoactive features an LCD touch screen that logs running, cycling, swimming and golf, as well as everyday activity tracking and works in up to 50 meters (over 164 feet) of water. The rechargeable battery lasts up to 3 weeks (or 10 hours, if using GPS as well).

FitLinxx Amp Strip

A small adhesive bandage hosts a set of sensors that tell you how hard to train and when to rest. The strip monitors heart rate through cycles of training, sleep, and recovery to provide feedback that helps you find the balance between too little and too much training.

Baseball season is winding down. And as teams look to the offseason, there will again be attention paid how to improve performance and conditioning.

In the last offseason, Major League Baseball officials took a strong interest in biomechanical technology testing of their pitchers. There had been an unsubstantiated correlation between injuries in young pitchers and the number of innings pitched. In research from 2002 to 2007, young pitchers that were studied showed that there was no correlation between the number of innings pitched and likelihood of future injury.

But Motus Global, a world-leader in advanced biomechanical analysis in all levels of sport performance, stepped up to the plate to examine the issue more closely. In the fall of 2014, Motus introduced mThrow, which combines new and innovative wearable technology with groundbreaking 3D movement and performance analysis software.

The device communicates directly to the mThrow iOS app to provide metrics on a player’s mechanics and collective workloads throughout the season indicating injury risk. The sleeve can measure such things as arm slot, torque and velocity. If a pitcher tires and his arm slot starts to drop, the pitching coach and manager could see it happening via the app in real time–even if only a few inches and not easily visible with the naked eye, which is why the app is an improvement and, I would say, a necessity in ensuring that your favorite pitcher isn’t on the verge of the dreaded Tommy Johns surgery.

The data updates instantly with each motion. Preliminary findings have shown that long tosses — throws of over 180 feet — place more stress on the elbow than in-game pitches. The data also found equivalent stress levels in dry work/drills along with short-distance bullpen sessions, showing that every throw counts towards cumulative stress being placed on the arm. As such, pitch counts are not nearly as significant as total throws in a day, including pickoff throws and in-between inning warm-ups.

The Motus app tracks all of this. The app has a simple user interface, designed to categorize throwing workloads in pitches and positional players. Even some batters have used it to correct and adjust their swing. There is a tagging feature in the app that allows the user to differentiate between throw types. Cloud-enabled storage of all data and text/SMS/email alert settings to automatically notify users when workloads are becoming difficult to manage.

As of now, 25 of the 30 Major League Baseball teams are incorporating the mThrow into their training. The mThrow’s application is not limited to baseball. It is available to athletes of any level and most sports, and I am personally interested in seeing how individuals and teams incorporated this new technology into their systems.

Will there be a decline in the amount of pitchers inflicted with the Tommy Johns injury? Only time will tell.

Apple has been known for its technological innovation ever since it introduced the iPhone back in 2007. So when the company released its highly anticipated Apple Watch this month, Apple junkies and techies alike paid close attention. A wearable mini-computer on your wrist? Sign me up!

Apple has designed a specific model of Apple watch–Apple Watch Sport–that is specifically for the fitness junky and sport enthusiasts alike. Its strengthened Ion-X glass, lightweight anodized aluminum casing and durable bands should make it comfortable while going on a morning jog, running a marathon, or participating in that two-a-day practice. The sport watch is also water resistant, with an IPX7 rating, which means that you don’t have to worry about your sweat affecting the device (although I wouldn’t go for a swim or take a shower with it).

If you have a iPhone or iPod touch, you probably already work out with it strapped to your arm and have Nike+ tracking all your workouts. So why shell out a couple hundred bucks for the Watch Sport? It really comes down to preference. Apples Watch Sport has its own health apps that can monitor movement, estimate calorie burn and even monitor your heart rate (Watch Sport also supports Nike+, for those who like to stick with what they know). You can sync specific workout routines and sessions back to a hub app on your iPhone for later review, as well analyze your workout and see if you’re improving on goals you set for yourself. The best part is its accessibility. Having all that information and tech at the turn of your wrist can motivate you to pick up the pace or to track and monitor your calories and heart rate as you work out.

But, as Apple notes on its website: “Fitness isn’t just about running, biking, or hitting the gym. It’s also about being active throughout the day. So Apple Watch measures all the ways you move, such as walking the dog, taking the stairs, or playing with your kids. It even keeps track of when you stand up, and encourages you to keep moving. Because it all counts. And it all adds up.”

The Apple Watch isn’t the only smart watch out on the market; Samsung has its Gear watch and Google has its Android wear devices. What makes Apple’s watch stand out–and what Apple has always done well–is the seamless integration between hardware and operating systems to be easy to use and to work across each of Apple’s devices. Imagine coaches being able to monitor their players’ workouts from the information on their Apple Watches and have it synced with a central iPads. They would be able to tailor workouts for their players or see if they are actively meeting the goals that have been set for them.

The Apple Watch Sport may very well soon be the must-have gadget for those active individuals who train and monitor their health with the vast information that the Apple Watch Sport is able to record and provide literally at your finger tips. If nothing else, it’s a pretty sleek and cool looking gadget that is sure to turn heads at the gym, on the track or simply on the train to work.

One of the hottest new basketball innovations is the Smart Sensor Basketball produced by InfoMotion Sports Technology. Derived from a kickstarter campaign, the Smart Sensor Basketball works with a smartphone app and an accompanying SmartNet to provide digital coaching for serious basketballers. It currently retails for right around $180 on the 94Fifty website, plus an additional $19.99 for the SmartNet; the app is free.

The ball itself is designed to improve your shot by giving you real-time feedback on the arc of your shot, rotation speed and release time. It also measures dribble speed and intensity to improve ball handling skills. It may make recommendations based on feedback to dribble with more power and to get more dribbles in a timed interval of 20, 40 or 60 seconds.

Made for indoor or outdoor use, the smart basketball has been tested for up to 1 million bounces and an advertised eight hours of continuous battery life. It is equipped with nine accelerometers–electromechanical devices that detect acceleration–fitted on a circuit board weighing less than 0.7 ounces. A wireless charging pad uses electromagnetic induction technology to charge the ball just like it would a cell phone.

It is not as simple as getting the basketball, downloading the accompanying app and firing away. When setting up your shooting session, you enter the approximate distance you will be shooting from and the height of the shooter. The app is paired with the basketball by turning the app on and dribbling the basketball a couple of times. Then, as you move around the basket and shoot (ensuring you remain the same distance from the rim), you get accurate feedback whether you are in the corner or at the top of the key.

The smartphone app is available for iOS and Android, but the company admits it works better on iOS, due to quirks with Android’s Bluetooth capability. The app itself provides feedback visually and audibly within milliseconds after taking a shot. The exact arc of a shot is provided as well as an ideal range, said to be derived from watching thousands of shooters, some considered among the best in the world.

The app will not only provide raw numbers but also instruction, such as “bend your knees” or “flick your wrist” in an effort to “coach” the arc of your shot. Similar feedback is given for the release time and rotational speed of the ball as the ball flies through the air. You will see what you did, receive coaching and get feedback on the ideal range.

The next phase for is to incorporate the SmartNet with your basketball and app. While not much is available about the exact technology that allows the SmartNet to interact with the ball and app the functionality it will be providing is simple – was it a make or a miss? Also on the horizon is the ability to have well-renowned coaches’ voices to provide instruction. Could you imagine Phil Jackson or Dean Smith telling you to tuck your elbow? Or how about Bobby Knight barking at you about not bending your knees?

The smart basketball is just another product coming into its own in 2015 that is re-categorizing the word “personal” in personal trainer. (See last First and Tech column for my take on the possible beginning of the end of personal training as we know it.) Could this tech be used in footballs next, maybe a baseball hitting stand or even a soccer ball?

The possibilities seem endless and your next personal trainer might just need an IT degree.

Telegraph operator, Blockbuster, carburetors. What do all three of these have in common? They all were supplanted by newer technology rendering their functions obsolete.

With 2014 being the year of wearable finesse gear–gadgets that measure everything from calories burned to how well you sleep–2015 promises to up the ante, not only measuring performance, but providing feedback and maybe even advice on how to improve.

Could 2015 start the extinction of the personal trainer? Asus, LG, Motorola and Sony all have released wrist-worn fitness monitors with a variety of features within the last year and more powerful models are on the horizon, possibly debuting in March at the Mobile World Congress (MWC).

One of the newest innovations in wearable fitness gear are clothes that measure a variety of biometrics. Athos has done it. Athos has produced a line of wearable fitness bottoms (compression shorts for men, compression capris for women) with the promise of fitness tops on the way. This performance apparel measures data about your heart, lung and muscles and transmits that data back to an app that tracks data. The bottoms contain 10 sensors – eight are Electromyography (EMG) sensors and the last two are heart rate sensors. Electromyography measures muscle activity by tracking the electrical potential generated by muscle cells and displaying it visually. The eight sensors measure muscle usage in the gluteus, inner quadriceps, outer quadriceps, and hamstringsand provide real-time feedback on an app that lights up the muscles that are used on a map of the body. Using the app is as simple as wiggling into the most sung size of compression bottoms possible because the sensors have to be flesh against the skin throughout the workout to give the most accurate feedback possible.

Once fitted, a simple calibration process, such as walking up a flight of steps with the phone to be synced in your hand, will get you started. Once the workout begins, the app indicates how much you are using each muscle by flashing colors on the body maps displayed on the phone screen (one body map is forward facing, the other rear facing). Blue and yellow flashes indicate you can handle more strain while green and red indicate you are working near your max and white signals over exertion.

This technology could be used beyond your personal workout. Imagine the advantage team training staffs could have in preventing injury on the practice field or during games if they knew when athletes were laboring and needed a rest or if an athlete was using one part/side of his or her body more than the other, indicating an injury or potential injury. A runner could get an better understanding of how to generate more speed or become a more efficient strider. If a piece of clothing could tell you that you are squatting unevenly, can handle more weight or you could push yourself harder, do you need to pay someone $75/hr to tell you the same thing? The Athos garments cost $99 and the core–a central device that snaps into the pants on one side relaying the data it collects to the Bluetooth-connected phone is another $199.

The recent increase in attention to and awareness of the threat of concussions in football has imperiled the sport, threatening to slow and potentially bring its play—at least at current levels—to a halt. With every new scientific report released, each blow to the head is now under increasing scrutiny.

This is where research from major universities like Virginia Tech comes into play. Recently, Virginia Tech, along with a handful of other universities, has been on a mission to understand the biomechanics of a concussive blow and collect data to better diagnose, prevent and treat concussions. The research cohorts are working with the NCAA on a national study to better understand concussions in collegiate sports.

At approximately $1,500 per helmet, Virginia Tech has installed Head Impact Telemetry System (HITS) helmet sensors into all of the university’s football helmets to measure blows to players’ heads during games. The technology, developed by Virginia Tech and Dartmouth College in 2002, works by measuring force and head movement data from six battery-powered sensors. The data are collected by a small computer and radioed back to a laptop that is within 150 yards of the helmet.

Stefan M. Duma Ph.D., head of the school of Virginia Tech’s Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics department and a member of the team working on the concussion study, said the data helps athletics staff “to make informed decisions on practice structure as well as better understand the biomechanics of concussion.”

When asked if there is fear that the concussion protocol will become too restrictive and result in more missed games/practice time thanks to hypersensitivity to impact, Duma said the data does not measure concussive force.

“There is no specific threshold [that is deemed a concussive force], and we always have to be careful of the player’s health,” he said. Instead, it measures impact force and head movement as a result of the force.

The data collected is not the only evidence being used to diagnose a concussion, but it is a tool that can be used by team’s training and medical staff to help in the assessment of the trauma to the head.

This information could not come at a better time, as enrollment in Pop Warner youth football teams has decreased by 9.6% since 2010 with an increased fear of long-term damage resulting from concussions sustained while playing football. Some speculate that parents, with increased knowledge of the long-term effects of concussions are steering their children to participate in other sports.

The new data presented from the study’s findings may convince parents even more that the risk presented by playing the sport is too great, but it may also lead to better equipment, prevention and treatment of concussions to ease their concerns. Only time will tell.

Unfortunately, the prohibitive cost of HITS—one Illinois high school spent upwards of $60,000 implementing the system—will make it tough for youth teams to implement this technology. But time, market competition and advancements in technology have a way of driving down prices of even the most expensive products and Dumas said there are other, less expensive options.

Comparable technologies start at $150, just 10 percent of the cost of the HITS-equipped helmets, but Duma warns “the quality of the data from each can vary dramatically.”

There are obvious advantages to having more empirical data to evaluate the short- and long-term health of the player, but whether this will give the sport a clean bill of health is yet to be determined. Will dwindling youth numbers in the sport have an effect on the product on the field or the appeal of the sport at the professional level, or will this development merely be a pebble in the raging river that is the NFL’s surging popularity?